NiMrOd
27th August 2003, 09:53 AM
Libba Strikes Back
FORMER Western Bulldogs tagger Tony Liberatore yesterday hit back at comments made by his long-time opponent and Sydney legend Paul Kelly in yesterday's Daily Telegraph.
Liberatore - Kelly was no icon of the game.
Liberatore was incensed after Kelly compared him to Collingwood's Brodie Holland - who last night was suspended for two matches for striking Swans' Paul Williams in Saturday night's match at Telstra Stadium.
"Paul Kelly was no icon of the game, believe me," Liberatore said.
"Paul Kelly didn't play for the Sydney Swans, he played for Paul Kelly. And I could tell you there's a lot of things he did on the footy ground that I don't think he would be very proud of, either."
In yesterday's article, an unnamed Swans player and Kelly said taggers were a blight on the game. Kelly said to be labelled the new Libba, as Holland had been, should force a player to rethink his football.
But in response, Liberatore, who retired from the Bulldogs last year, said he would ring the Swans and ask for Kelly's phone number.
"I'm really disappointed with Paul Kelly," he said. "I find it childish, very poor on his behalf.
"What grudge he's got against me I don't know because last time I spoke to him he treated me OK, we had a chat, probably on Brownlow night.
"I find it very odd why he would bring it up? Is he jealous of Sydney's success (because) he's not playing footy? I don't know."
In comments that will floor the Swans, Liberatore said Kelly didn't deserve champion status.
"The word champion is really loosely used these days and he certainly wasn't a champion," he said.
"I certainly don't classify myself as a champion player, either. Yeah, sure we both won a Brownlow and you have some great years, but in my opinion there are only a few true champions of the game."
Liberatore also defended Holland's role as a lock-down player, saying: "I don't condone what he's done, but good on Brodie Holland for putting his hand up and saying, 'Yeah, I will change'. He might've been struggling a bit as a forward player and now Mick Malthouse is using him as a run-with player. Good on him."
Holland will miss Friday night's vital game against Essendon and also Collingwood's first final.
It was a solid punch to the face of Williams - who was looking away at the time - some 50 metres off the ball and was the Magpie's second striking charge this season.
Holland pleaded guilty under provocation, with Magpies advocate Sean Carroll claiming Williams had struck Holland first with a "jumper punch" to the face.
The tribunal found that Holland's retaliation was "out of all proportion to what preceded it".
The Liberatore-Kelly battle began in the mid-90s and reached its zenith in 1997 when Liberatore tagged Kelly in a game at Optus Oval. Kelly left the field amid allegations of scratching.
In the return match, at the SCG, Kelly towelled Libba as the Swans won by 15 goals.
"They killed us that day," Liberatore said yesterday. "He beat me, but I could tell he didn't enjoy the win. What was more important to him was Paul Kelly playing well."
Also last night, Fremantle forward Paul Medhurst was cleared of kicking Essendon's Danny Jacobs.
Herald Sun
________________________
The great Paul Kelly not a champion? I cant beleive this fool.... he must have sustained one to many knocks to the head.
FORMER Western Bulldogs tagger Tony Liberatore yesterday hit back at comments made by his long-time opponent and Sydney legend Paul Kelly in yesterday's Daily Telegraph.
Liberatore - Kelly was no icon of the game.
Liberatore was incensed after Kelly compared him to Collingwood's Brodie Holland - who last night was suspended for two matches for striking Swans' Paul Williams in Saturday night's match at Telstra Stadium.
"Paul Kelly was no icon of the game, believe me," Liberatore said.
"Paul Kelly didn't play for the Sydney Swans, he played for Paul Kelly. And I could tell you there's a lot of things he did on the footy ground that I don't think he would be very proud of, either."
In yesterday's article, an unnamed Swans player and Kelly said taggers were a blight on the game. Kelly said to be labelled the new Libba, as Holland had been, should force a player to rethink his football.
But in response, Liberatore, who retired from the Bulldogs last year, said he would ring the Swans and ask for Kelly's phone number.
"I'm really disappointed with Paul Kelly," he said. "I find it childish, very poor on his behalf.
"What grudge he's got against me I don't know because last time I spoke to him he treated me OK, we had a chat, probably on Brownlow night.
"I find it very odd why he would bring it up? Is he jealous of Sydney's success (because) he's not playing footy? I don't know."
In comments that will floor the Swans, Liberatore said Kelly didn't deserve champion status.
"The word champion is really loosely used these days and he certainly wasn't a champion," he said.
"I certainly don't classify myself as a champion player, either. Yeah, sure we both won a Brownlow and you have some great years, but in my opinion there are only a few true champions of the game."
Liberatore also defended Holland's role as a lock-down player, saying: "I don't condone what he's done, but good on Brodie Holland for putting his hand up and saying, 'Yeah, I will change'. He might've been struggling a bit as a forward player and now Mick Malthouse is using him as a run-with player. Good on him."
Holland will miss Friday night's vital game against Essendon and also Collingwood's first final.
It was a solid punch to the face of Williams - who was looking away at the time - some 50 metres off the ball and was the Magpie's second striking charge this season.
Holland pleaded guilty under provocation, with Magpies advocate Sean Carroll claiming Williams had struck Holland first with a "jumper punch" to the face.
The tribunal found that Holland's retaliation was "out of all proportion to what preceded it".
The Liberatore-Kelly battle began in the mid-90s and reached its zenith in 1997 when Liberatore tagged Kelly in a game at Optus Oval. Kelly left the field amid allegations of scratching.
In the return match, at the SCG, Kelly towelled Libba as the Swans won by 15 goals.
"They killed us that day," Liberatore said yesterday. "He beat me, but I could tell he didn't enjoy the win. What was more important to him was Paul Kelly playing well."
Also last night, Fremantle forward Paul Medhurst was cleared of kicking Essendon's Danny Jacobs.
Herald Sun
________________________
The great Paul Kelly not a champion? I cant beleive this fool.... he must have sustained one to many knocks to the head.